Alongside with the leaders of the Dhaka city unit, BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia is reportedly not happy with several senior leaders of her party, as they were inactive in the street movement ahead of the January-5 elections.
She is now planning to bring about a major change in the party’s different bodies, including the party’s apex body- standing committee through national council.
The BNP is likely to hold its sixth national council in March or April. “The holding of the council time has already expired. We were unable to hold the council because of police attacks on our party office, as important documents were lost in the process. The council is a regular process. So we will hold it at a suitable time,” BNP joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed told The New Nation.
The last council of the party was held on December 8, 2009. According to rules, the political parties must hold their council in time after every three years. BNP submitted applications to the Election Commission (EC) seeking extension of time to hold its national council. Party acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, vice-chairman and Dhaka city unit convener Sadeque Hossain Khoka and some other senior leaders might get new responsibilities in the next council while some standing committee members, including Dr RA Gani and Shamsul Islam, may be dropped on health grounds. Another standing committee member Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain might be dropped for his poor performance, insiders said.
Dr Mosharraf said that leadership change is a normal process and the change is usually done through the party’s national council. He, however, said that the report of exclusion of some senior leaders might be a propaganda by the ruling Awami League.
Khaleda Zia is planning to bring some young leaders, like Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed and Mohammad Shahjahan in the top leadership to make the organisation dynamic.
Talking to The New Nation, several BNP leaders said that Khaleda Zia wants to bring major changes in the central leadership for launching a tougher anti-government movement to force the government for holding early mid-term election. She believes that if her party’s central leaders join the anti-government movement with seriousness, the government will be forced to quit power through holding the mid-term poll within a few months.
Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir might be included in the party’s standing committee in case some one else is chosen as party secretary general.
Some names which are being discussed as probable choice as secretary general include party vice chairman Abdullah Al Noman, chairperson’s advisers Dr. Osman Faruk and Major (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed and Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed.
Chairperson’s advisory council will also be recast with new faces to bring dynamism in the organisation. Alongside with the changes, the front bodies of the party and the city and district committees are also likely to get a major shake up.
